Liquid consumer products are contained in a wide variety of packages. Liquid personal care products are contained in bottles, inverted bottles (i.e. “tottles”), jars, and the like. Such packages typically have a flip-top closure, twist-top closure, or screw-top closure system. Dishwashing liquids are often contained in packages having push-pull closures. Food condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, and the like are often packaged in bottles having twist-top closure, flip-top closures, and the like. Each of these packages include plastic bottles that can dispense the products upon squeezing the side walls of the bottle.
Recently, food condiments have been packaged in a tottle package having a flip-top closure with a slit valve covering the dispensing opening of the package. The slit valve acts to prevent the product from flowing out of the package unless force is exerted on the side walls of the bottle of the package by squeezing. Dispensing of the product can therefore be more accurately controlled and unwanted dispensing of the product can be prevented.
Liquid personal care products, such as liquid body washes (i.e. shower gels), have historically been packaged in upright bottles having flip-top closures. More recently, liquid body washes are being contained in tottle packages. Tottle packages are beneficial since the package rests on its dispensing cap, thereby allowing gravity to pull the liquid composition towards the opening to facilitate easier dispensing when the package is opened for dispensing the composition.
Problems, however, arise with existing packages for liquid consumer products with respect to preventing unwanted leakage of composition while maintaining easier dispensing of the product. During shipment and during storage of the consumer product on the shelf in a retail store, many times the closure will be inadvertently opened and product can then leak out of the package. This can be a significant problem for tottle packages with flip-top closures, as such closures typically require little force to flip open the closure for consumer convenience. However, the ease of opening such flip-top closures tends to often result in product leakage from the package due to inadvertent opening during transportation or accidental dropping of the package.
Additional problems arise with respect to flip-top closures as well as other closures such as twist-up closures and screw-top closures. Such closures typically require the consumer to use two hands to securely open and close such closures. This can be extremely inconvenient, especially when the consumer product being dispensed is a liquid body wash or hair shampoo. When a consumer uses a liquid body wash, he typically dispenses the body wash into his hand or onto a body wash puff. The consumer cannot conveniently utilize his hand containing the product to close product package. The consumer therefore needs a package that can be easily closed with one hand, either by holding the package in one hand and manipulating the closure with the same hand, or by holding the package in one hand and pressing the package against a surface, such as a shower wall.
Flip-top closure packages are difficult to hold and close with one hand, unless the user tries to press the package against a surface such as a shower wall. In closing such a package by pressing against a surface, it can be difficult to position the package at the correct angle to successfully close the flip-top closure and if the package is not positioned at the correct angle, the hinge of the flip-top closure is susceptible to breakage. Twist-top and screw-top closures are very difficult to hold and close with one hand, as such closures typically require the user to hold the bottle with one hand, while twisting the closure with the other hand.
There thus remains a desire to develop a package that easily dispenses a liquid consumer product, prevents unwanted leakage of the product, and can be easily closed with the use of only one hand.